Classic cars do not need vignettes
11/21/2013
On November 24, 2013, the Swiss will vote on the price increase for the freeway vignette. The vignette has been in place since 1985; the people decided on the temporary charge in 1984. In 1994, the vignette was enshrined in the constitution, and in 1995 it cost ten francs more instead of the original CHF 30.
After a referendum was held against an increase in the price of the vignette to CHF 100, the people are now to decide whether driving will become more expensive on Swiss roads.
The (additional) money is needed for federal road maintenance and construction projects.
Of course, roads need to be maintained and upgraded, and classic car drivers also benefit from this. But unlike normal everyday car users, classic cars (and most youngtimers) only use the highway a few times. Having to pay CHF 100 per car for this means that a kilometer on the freeway quickly costs a franc just for the sticker.
What's more, the variable message plate rule does not apply here. The sticker must be affixed to every windshield. And if the rare car is then to be transported on the trailer from time to time, another vignette is required (unlike in Austria). It can therefore happen that the proud owner of a classic car drives around with three (!) vignettes at the same time. The fact that there is now to be a two-month vignette for CHF 40, not to mention the annual price from before, is only of limited consolation. And the whole thing has absolutely nothing to do with the polluter-pays principle for highway users; in this case, the politicians are more interested in additional revenue than in the steering concept.
No exceptions - no alternative to no
From a classic car perspective, the solution would have been simple. Vehicles with veteran registration (code 180) could have been exempted from the vignette requirement. The loss of revenue would have been manageable.
So classic car drivers, who have to think economically, are now forced to vote "no"... or to avoid the highways later.
And what is the situation in Austria and Germany?
In Austria, the annual vignette currently costs EUR 82.70, there is also a 2-month vignette for EUR 24.80 and a 10-day vignette for EUR 8.50. No vignette is required for trailers in Austria.
In Germany, a car toll of Euro 100 per year is currently being discussed. German drivers are to be relieved by offsetting this against the vehicle tax, although special solutions are still being sought for low-emission vehicles. And it remains unclear in the political debate whether all this is coordinated with the various registration options (interchangeable license plate, H license plate, etc.).
